Lawyer endorsed for Daniels's seat

Elmhurst man backed for GOP nomination

December 07, 2005|By John Biemer, Tribune staff reporter

Will County Assistant State's Atty. Dennis Reboletti has been endorsed by the Addison Township Republican Party, a key step in his effort to succeed Lee Daniels when he retires from the west suburban Illinois House of Representatives district that he has represented for 30 years.

The organization voted to back Reboletti, an Elmhurst resident and Addison trustee, before its holiday party Monday night. Most of the 46th District is in northeastern DuPage County's Addison Township, so the endorsement makes it unlikely Reboletti will face a primary challenge in March from another party loyalist and bolsters his campaign with the support of more than 300 party members.

Other Republicans who had considered running include DuPage County Board member Paul Fichtner, former DuPage County Board Vice Chairman William Maio and Durante himself. In the November general election, the Republican nominee is likely to face Democrat Joe Vosicky, an Elmhurst attorney who lost to Daniels last year in what has traditionally been a Republican district.

Reboletti, 37, a prosecutor in the organized crime unit who focuses on narcotics cases, lost to Carole Pankau (R-Roselle) in a close and hard-fought Republican primary election last year for the Illinois Senate's 23rd District seat. But Reboletti says that he is a lifelong resident of the House district who already has represented most of the area either as a township trustee or previously as an Elmhurst alderman.

"I'm very well aware of the issues the district faces, including funding for infrastructure, O'Hare Airport," Reboletti said. "It's very difficult to succeed someone of Lee Daniels' caliber and stature, somebody who's served the district quite well. I believe that my qualifications and background will lend [themselves] to be able to continue in the same mold."